School Nurse Training and Student Health Program

Early in Myanmar Children’s Foundation’s interaction with rural monastic and nunnery schools, it was obvious that boarding school students needed more access to health care. These kids could not afford to pay the village nurses for care visits, so MCF selected from the local high school graduate population young women who could be trained by means of apprenticeship to become “school nurses”. These school nurses provide free bi-monthly health checks and treat conditions such as scabies, ringworm, bed bug bites, anemia, influenza, warts, cuts and scrapes, etc.

MCF has also provided training on the proper way to brush teeth and use razors (for monk/nun head shaving) and NOT sharing these items to prevent the spread of skin conditions or infections. Children were also instructed in the proper way to wash hands.

The MCF Country Director has seen to it that nutrition was improved at these schools with the addition of protein sources such as duck eggs and fish, ngapi (or fish paste). Students were showing signs of Vitamin A deficiency and leafy greens are being added to their diets as available. MCF also provides vitamin supplements, iodized salt, and routine medicines.

For more difficult health challenges, American nurse Laurie Lee has visited MCF school sites to diagnose and treat more challenging problems such as goiters, dengue fever, menstruation issues and tuberculosis.